Well-tubing catcher.



IN V EN TOR.

A TT ORNE Y Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Jhfm BY /f/ame,

m ,mmw JE- .Hl NC. OTR AA S M RC. EGW BNL UBF U G N. To -EC SWU DI DI A i SAMUEL ALLEN CUIBEEsoN, JE., CE lSAN EiaANCIsCo, CALIFORNIA.

WELL-TUBING CATCIIER.

To all whom imag concern." v Be it known thatI, SAMUEL ALLEN G UI- BEEsoN, Jr., a citizen of the United States,

residing in the city` and county of San 5 vFrancisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVell-Tubing Catchers, of whlch lthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of welltubing catchers, vtype in which the gripping device, while the tubing is intact, is normally inoperative, but which, due to the inertia of an vassoclated lweight, and the expansion of a spring upon which said weight is supported, 1s thrown into functional action when the tubmg breaks. y The object yof my invention 1s to. provide a well-tubing 'catcher of this t pe. 1n which improved details result i'n goo' constructive practice and 1n advantageous operation.

To this'end my invention consists 1n the novel well-tubing catcher which I shall here- Vinafter fully describe by reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which-'- Figure 1 is a vertical section ofl a wellcasing showing my improved tubing-catcher, partly in section and partly in broken elevation, the position of its several members being The section of the headv7 in this figure 1s on the line o-fv of Fig. L1'.

Fig. 2 is a verticalvsection of the wellcasing, show-ing'the tubing-catcher in elevation, the position of its members being that of functional activity in catching and suspending th'e-tubing. 4

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line w-'-`fw of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line -m of Fig. 1. y

Fig.'5 is a cross section on the line y-/y of Fig. 41. y Fig. 6 is a cross'section on the line z-z of Fig. 1.` l f f @All the cross-sections are 'enlarged with respect to Fig. 1".' 1 is the well-c '.sing. is that section lof A the 'well-tubing lwith which the catcher is directly associated.' 3 'is' an upper section of vthe tubing and 4 is alower section, these lthree sections suiicintly indicating the line l oftubing, which line, in practice, is of great Y length' and'- weight. LThe sections 2 and 3 v are united bythe E[ordinary tubing collar 5,

Specication of Letters Patent.

and particularly to that p the normal one when out of action.

. Patented Mar.c,1917.

Appiicationmea March 1, 191e. 'serial No. 81,386.

screwed upon them; and sections and 4 are united by a similar collar 6.

7 is a gripper-slip.carrying-head. `IIere- 'tofore the slip-carrying head has been incorporated in orconnected with the line of tubing by screwing it therein or thereon, 4

threads being made for this purpose on the tubing and within each end of the head.

This connection has been found inmanufactureto be expensive construction, and in practice to be faulty in -point' of strength. In my improved construction I cast the head 7 directly upon and about the upper end of -the tube section 2, and directly against the rounded or beveled lowerA end of the collar 5, as shown in Fig. 1, the latter j thus serving as asolid abutment to insure the practically integral union of the head with the tubing, and to Vassist in resisting the enormous longitudinal weight' strain upon said headl when its gripperslips are thrown into action.

8 are the gripper slips. There may be any number of these slips, three being usual. They are formed on their outer faces with the usual teeth 9. It has been customary heretofore to carry these slips, by a dove-tail slide, upon flat surfaces or planes inclined in such manner that when the slips lare down in normal position their toothed faces are removed from contact with the casing wall and when they are up they Contact with ano! grip said wall and thereby support the tubing in caseof a 4break.` This mounting of the slips requires f expensive machining.

n In my improvement, I simply turnthe head. circumferentially to a symmetrical downward taper asshown at 7 and I make the inner faces of the slips transversely curvilinear'on a radius adapting lthem for a close fitv on the taper of the head'in that zone of said taper which will cause their outward expansion or movement into'con- "tact with thel casing wall, which isl their functionally operativev position `at which they will receive and bear the greatest strain in case of ja break in the tubing, -as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. ,'In lower-positions, where# in the slips are" functionally inoperative, they do not fit the taper-'fof thehead` closely, as seen in Fig. 1, "andv they are, therefore,

lfv'ery freeand canbe movedv .upward= with'- f the' greatest" ease, therebyV increasing their sensitiveness` for 'functionalfoperation This construction, however', renders 'it at 10, and correspondingly bevel inwardly vthe base of the slips as shown at 8. When,

therefore, the slips rest upon this inwardly inclined shoulder 10, as in Fig. 1, they tend, by their own weight, to slip inwardly and hug sufficiently closely the base of the taper 7 t Furthermore, in order to hold them in close to the taper, without interfering with their outward movement as they relatively rise to functional position, the links 11 which connect them with the freely slidablel ring 12 below are made of a springy nature. The spring of the links 11, holds the slips in, but said'ilinks yield outwardly as the slips rise. The lower ends` of the spring I' links are riveted in suitable seats at 13 in the ring 12, and they thence pass up freely and with sufficient play in grooves 14 in` the base of the head" 7, and are riveted at 15, Fig. 4 inthe inner faces ofthe bases of the slips. `The slip controlling ring 12 which i head 7.

' be thus described. The

i vist operates all the slips in unison, is freely -itted about the tubing 2, as shown in' Fig.

6. 16 are the usual waiter courses in the 17 is a weight. This is a tube which freely envelops the tubing 2 and is movable independently thereof. It is supported by a spring 18 which is seated at its upper end in the base of the weight, and said spring is itself supported at its lower end on the tubing collar 6. The weight 17 compresses the spring 18 suliciently to cause the upper end of said weight to be normally separated'by a slight space from-the controlling ring 12 'when the tubing is intact andy normal conditions prevail, as shown in Fig. f1. This separation avoids the transmission of slight A:vibrations of the spring-supported weight to the controlling ring when the catcher is` inactive, all the parts then being in the rel-r ative positions shown in Fig. 1.

If the tubing should break, the effect may' inertia of the weight 17, accentuated by the tendency of the spring 18 to expand, will cause the contact of the upper end of the weight with the -controlling ring 12, and this contact will'result, through the links 11, in momentarily arresting and supporting the gripper slips 8, so that as the tapered head 7 'moves down, the slips will be forced out to engage their toothedA faces with [the casing v1,- all` as' shown in Fig. 2.1 @This engagement of the slipsiwith the casing will thus .cause thei-l ther drop.

y to 'the head t weight has a .larger bore, therebyY leaving a larger space, as seen at 20 in Fig. 1, for the free passage of any sand which may enter said weight; and the weight has openings 21 at its lower end to permit the free discharge of sand and to prevent said sand from packing against t e spring. The weight is thus kept clear for its free action;

and the spring 18 by-being wholly below.

the weight, and not within it, not only keeps the weight clear, but guards against its own clogging by sand.

Iv .claim 1. A well-tubing: catcher comprising a ing circumferentially turned on a down.- ward and inward taper; .gripper slips having inner faces curved." to a close fit on the functionally-operative zone of the taper of' the head; spring links connected withv the base of said lips to yieldingly hold them jper; a controlling ring fitted freely about the tubing and to which the lower ends of the spring links are connectf' ed; and aweight associated with and movable independently of the tubing, 'and adapted its inertia when thel tubing" drops, 'to contact with the controlling ring and throw Jthe slipsl into gripping contact with the well-casing.

2. A well-tubing catcher comprising a head secured upon the tubing, said head being circumferentially turned on a downward and inward taper; gripper slips 'having inner faces curved to a close lit on the functionally operative zone of the taper of the head; spring links connected with the base of said slips to -yieldingly hold them to the head taper; a controlling ring fitted freelyl about the tubing and to which ,the lower ends of 'the spring links are connected;l a weight associated with and movable independently of the tubing; and a spring ,supportingsaid weight and adapted by its expansion and the inertia`of the weight, when the tubing drops, o cause said weight to contact with the controlling ring and throw theslips into gripping contact with the well-casing.

being circumferentially turned on a down- -ward and inward taper, toA a shoulder the i surface of which is inwardly and down- 13' vhead secured upon the tubing, said head bewardly inclined; gripper slips having invner faces curved to a closerfit on the functionallvfoperative zone of the taper of the head, said slips having their bases beveled to correspond with the incline of the shoulder at the base of the head taper; spring links connected with'the base of said slips to yieldingly hold them to the head taper; a controlling ring fitted freely about the tubing and to which the lower ends ofy the spring links are connected; 'and a weight associated with-and movable independently of the tubing, and adapted. by its inertia when the tubing drops, to contact with the controlling ring and throw the slips into gripping contact with the well-casing.

4. A well-tubing catcher comprising a head secured upon the tubing, vsaid head being'circumferentially turned on a downward and inward taper, to a shoulder of which is inwardly and downwardly inclined; gripper slips having inner faces curved to a close fit on 'the functionally operative zone ofthe taper of the head, said slips having their bases beveled to correspond with the .incline of the shoulder at the base of the head taper; spring links connected with the base of said slips to Ayieldingly hold lthem to the head taper; a controlling ring fitted freely about the tubing and to which the lower ends of theA spring links are connected; a weight associated with and movable independently of the tubing; and a spring supporting said weight and adapted byi'ts expansion and the inertia of the weight, when the tubing drops, to cause said weight to contact with the controlling ring and throw the slips into gripping contact with 'the well-casing.

5. A well-tubing catcher comprising tube sections and a' collar uniting them; a head cast upon the upper end of one of said tube sections and against the base of the uniting collar; gripper slips carried by the head and normally out of contact with the well-casing; links connected with said slips; a controlling ring common to all said links, to operate the slips in unison; and a weight associated with and movable independently of the tubing, and adapted by its inertia when the tubing drops, 'to contact with the controlling ring and throw the slips into gripping contact with the well-casing.

' 6. A well-tubing catcher comprising tube sections and a collar uniting them; a head cast upon the upper end of one of said tube sections and against the base of the uniting collar; gripper slips carried by the head and normally out of contact with the well-casing; links connected with saidslips; a con- -trolling ring common to all said links, to

operate the slips in unison; a weight associated with and movable independently of the tubing; and a spring supporting said weight and adapted by its eXpanslon and the surface.

the inertia ofthe weight, when the tubingy drops, to cause said weight to contact with the controlling ring. and throw the slips into ,gripping contactiwith the welll-casing.

7. A well-tubing catcher comprising tube` sections and a collar uniting them; a head cast upon the upper end of one of said 'tube sections and against the base of the unltingA collar, said head v`being circumferentially vturned on a downward and inward taper;

gripper slips having inner faces curved to a -close fit on the functionally operative zone of the taper of the head; spring links connected with the base of said slips to yieldcollar, said head being circumferentiallyl turned on a downward and inward taper; gripper slips having inner faces curved to a close fit on the functionally operative zone of the taper of the head; spring links con,u nected with;l the base of said slips to yieldingly hold them to the head taper; a con. n

trollingring fitted freely about the tubing and to which the lowerl ends of the spring links are connected; a weight associated with and movable independently of thetubing; andy a spring supporting said weight and adapted by its expansion and the inertia of the weight, when .the tubing drops, to cause said weight to contact with the controlling ring and throw the slips into gripping contact with the .well-casing.

` 9. A well-tubing catcher comprising tube sections and a collar uniting them; a head cast upon the upper end of one of said tube sections and against the base of the uniting collar, said head being circumferentially turned on a downward and inward taper, to a shoulder the surface ofwhich is inwardly and downwardly inclined; gripper slips having inner faces curved to a close fit on als` the functionally operative zone of the taper i of the head, said slips having their .bases beveled to correspond with the incline of the shoulder at the base of the head taper;

controlling ring and throw the slips into gripping contact with the well-casing.

10. A well tubing catcher comprising i tube sections and a collar uniting them; a

head cast upon the upper end of one of said `tube sections and against the base of the uniting collar, said head being circumferentially turned on a downward and inward taper; gripper slips having inner faces curved to a close fit on the functionally operativezone of the taper of the head spring links connected with the base of said slips to yieldingly hold them tothe head taper; a controlling ring fitted freely about the tubing and to which the lower endsof the spring links are connected; a weight associated with and movable independentlyvof the tubing; and a spring supporting said weight and adapted byl its expansion and the inertia of the weight, when the tubing drops, to cause said weight to contact with the recessed lower face of the controlling ring', and said weight fitting the tubing relatively closely at theupper end and thence down to the lowerend tting'said tubing more freely; and a spring around and supported by the tubing below the weight, said I' spring at its upper end being seated inthe weight, and adapted by its expansion and Laisse@ base of the weight and supporting said weight, and adapted by its expansion and the inertia of the weight, when the tubing drops, to cause said weight to contact with the controlling ring and `throw the gripping members into gripping contact with they well-casing. Y f,

12. A well tubing catcher Acomprising gripping members carried by the tubing and normally out of contact with the well-casing; links connected with. said gripping members; a controlling ring common to all said links, said ring having a recessed lower, face; a tubular weight surrounding the tub-l in g below the controlling ring, said weight having a beveled upper end for contact with the recessed lower face of the controlling ring, and said weight fitting the tubing relatively closely at the upper endand thence v down to the lower end/fitting said tubing more freely; and having sand escape holes in said lower end; and a spring around and. supported by the tubing below the weight,-l said spring at its upperend being seated ini l the base of thel weight Aand supporting said` the inertiaof the weight, when the tubing drops, to cause said weight to contact with thercontrolling ring and throw the gripping members into gripping contact with the well-casing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL ALLEN GUIBERSON, J

les) 

